The Evening's Glow
by Trickster Rabbit
Summary: He and Fluffles stood there with the shivering pup in his arms, hiding from both the rain and the shadows of dangerous persons, seen only by silhouettes cast by the moon's light, who were searching the hushed streets for them.
1. Chapter 1

The Evening's Glow

A car horn shrieked as it driver avoided a darting cat, reverberating off the walls of buildings of the small town that once stood silently in the damp night. Tires skidded away from the scene and over a bridge that arched over a fast brook. They had hoped to rid themselves of their little nuisance in the river, but they did not foresee the branch that jutted from part of the bank where their discarded sack now hung.


	2. Chapter 2

The night had been peaceful at first, peaceful enough for him and Fluffles to decide on strolling down to the park to enjoy each other's company and not to mention the meteor shower that was forecasted for that night. The park would be perfect for viewing because the lights from the residential parts of town did not shine too brightly there and blur the sky. Wallace had been too busy setting up their new business opportunity to come with them to enjoy the scene but still managed to see them off with a few treats for the road. Hopefully an ice cream creamy did not come with the same dangers as a bakery. Unbeknown to the two distracted pooches, as they walked, softly whispering to the other, clouds began to dot the night sky and obscure the early birds that couldn't wait to streak across the heavens. Eventually the clouds that blanketed the sky had merged, turning down more and more rain as they bellowed up. As the rain pounding harder, the couple had become trapped under the awning of Mr. Blutskett's store just a little over halfway to the park. Puddles formed around the door ledge were they stood. The pouring rain was beginning to swell the stream by the road. A nearby hatter down to the right a little, Mrs. Grose's shop's own awning was tearing under the growing weight of the pooling rainwater and spilling water on to the shop's doorstep. Their trip seemed to have been in vain and would have to return home. The autumn rain was chilling them to the bone. They decided to return home then even though it was still raining; it was not that far and they could easily warm themselves in their cozy, little household with Wallace waiting with tea and more biscuits. More and more rain fell as time passed, harder and harder, quicken their pace. Gromit was about to turn the corner onto a side street when he realized Fluffles's absence. Turning around, he couldn't find her anywhere on the road. He started to sprint back towards the shops, his paws splashing through puddles, when he heard her bark for him. Instead of straight forward and down the street, now he raced to the embankment to his left. Nearing the sound, he found Fluffles stumbling down the slippery edge of the creek. He signaled her to come back up and that it was too dangerous, but she no longer paid attention as she neared the now rushing water and its raising waterline. He tried again and again to get her attention till he was distracted by what she was reaching for and finally realized what exactly her target was. A sack, wobbling on a dead branch, soon to be gobbled up by the raising water line. Why, the thought spurred automatically as he watched her inch towards it, it's just some bag. Probably someone littering like always. That's when he noticed it wasn't wiggling from the current.

(Oh, no.)


	3. Chapter 3

Don't own Wallace and Gromit, etc.

(I'm not familiar with the British accent enough to be able to write using it so this will be a bit out of character.)

He had to admit, it was a cute little thing curled up like that in her arms. Its ears flopped down slightly; little spots speckled the pup grey and white. Even wet, you could tell there was enough fur on the kid to make him a fluff ball when dry. To think, someone had done something like this to a pup. It was pretty much unheard nowadays to hear of this happening - newborns being thrown away like trash into rivers and lakes. It just didn't seem to happen but here was this puppy shivering in the damp air under an awning in the middle of the night, trying to fall asleep in Fluffles's cradled arms. Maybe it was accident. Maybe they didn't know it was in the bag and it fell off a truck or something. Perhaps the kid had gotten lost and, under strange circumstances, had gotten trapped in its previous situation. Maybe, . . .

Maybe.

(I say we take it home; for now, at least.) Fluffles signaled, (there's no sense to leave him here.) Gromit nodded, the kid would just have to stay with them for now, and so they started off to home with package so dear.

(The system won't transcribe my breaklines so I'm adding one)

It was morning in West Wallaby Street as the sun finally peeked above the rooftops. He and Fluffles had hidden the puppy in a makeshift bed, all warm and snugged with food in his belly, in Fluffles's room in the closet till they could figure out how to tell Wallace exactly how they happened upon the baby without a misunderstanding.

(You've taken quite a liking to the kid.)

(Sure, like you haven't thought he was cute.) Fluffles scoffed back, smirking.

(Fine. Anyways, I going to go pick up those things the books said he'll need. See you soon.)

(Breakline….)

Gromit was walked towards Mr. Grett's store, ironically following the same path as the river they had found the kid by. It would probably be no use to look for traces of who had possibly done it. The river, even here in the elevated length, was swelled to the point of the water level lapping at the top of its banks. The heavy rain most likely washed away any usable footprints or tread marks. The street had been deserted at the time, but what if the kid had been dropped earlier in the day? Surely someone would have heard the kid yelping if they had walked by. The bag was well hidden from view by the bridge and even by the banks of the river. Whoever had done it most likely had deposited the kid there sometime before they had arrived but after most had retired to their homes, which here was about eight at night, to lower the chances of the pup being found. But would they be that stringent in making sure the kid wasn't found? Who would have even done this? He didn't know anyone nearby expecting pups but he didn't know everyone in his neighborhood; he could easily miss someone. Should he even ask around about the pup? He stalled as he thought for a moment. No, there shouldn't be that much of a problem, the kid had been abandoned. Whoever did it probably wouldn't care if the kid was found and wouldn't return to finish whatever intentions they had for him if they ever caught word of him. They probably would try to avoid him as best they could in order to not be connected with the crime, or simply, they just couldn't care less whether the child still hung to a branch or not. Could the kid's family have done this? Had he been kidnapped? Was there someone searching for the kid? Gromit's musing continued as he walked down the river's length to the store.


End file.
